Native Numbers in Korean

Korean Number Systems: Native Korean Numbers

• Overview of Native Korean Numbers (고유어 수):

  • Used primarily for counting general objects, people, age, hours, animals, and books.

  • Basic digits from $1$ to $10$:

  • $1$: 하나 (hana)

  • $2$: 둘 (dul)

  • $3$: 셋 (set)

  • $4$: 넷 (net)

  • $5$: 다섯 (daseot)

  • $6$: 여섯 (yeoseot)

  • $7$: 일곱 (ilgop)

  • $8$: 여덟 (yeodeol)

  • $9$: 아홉 (ahop)

  • $10$: 열 (yeol)

  • Numbers from $11$ to $20$:

  • $11$: 열하나 (yeolhana)

  • $12$: 열둘 (yeoldul)

  • $13$: 열셋 (yeolset)

  • $14$: 열넷 (yeolnet)

  • $15$: 열다섯 (yeoldaseot)

  • $16$: 열여섯 (yeolyeoseot)

  • $17$: 열일곱 (yeol-ilgop)

  • $18$: 열여덟 (yeolyeodeol)

  • $19$: 열아홉 (yeolahop)

  • $20$: 스물 (seumul)

  • Native Korean Tens ($30$ to $90$):

  • $30$: 서른 (seoreun)

  • $40$: 마흔 (maheun)

  • $50$: 쉰 (swin)

  • $60$: 예순 (yesun)

  • $70$: 일흔 (ilheun)

  • $80$: 여든 (yeodeun)

  • $90$: 아흔 (aheun)

  • Large Numbers Shared with Sino-Korean Roots:

  • $100$: 백 (baek)

  • $1,000$: 천 (cheon)

  • $10,000$: 만 (man)

• Numerical Modifications Before Counters:

  • When modifying a noun directly or placed immediately before a counting classifier, the first four numbers drop their final consonants or shorten:

  • $1$: 하나 (hana) changes to 한 (han)

  • $2$: 둘 (dul) changes to 두 (du)

  • $3$: 셋 (set) changes to 세 (se)

  • $4$: 넷 (net) changes to 네 (ne)

• Native Counting Classifiers (Counters):

  • Things / General objects / Pieces: 개 (gae)

  • People: 명 (myeong)

  • Age: 살 (sal)

  • Clock hours / Time: 시 (si)

  • Slices: 조각 (jogak)

  • Animals: 마리 (mari)

  • Books / Bound volumes: 권 (gwon)

• Practical Usage Examples:

  • usan hangae (우산 한개): One umbrella

  • chingu semyeong (친구 세명): Three friends

  • yeoldaseot sal (열다섯 살): Fifteen years old

Korean Number Systems: Sino-Korean Numbers

• Overview of Sino-Korean Numbers:

  • Numbers derived from Chinese characters, used for dates, currency, minutes, seconds, phone numbers, and physical measurements.

  • Basic digits from $1$ to $10$:

  • $1$: 일 (il)

  • $2$: 이 (i)

  • $3$: 삼 (sam)

  • $4$: 사 (sa)

  • $5$: 오 (o)

  • $6$: 육 (yuk)

  • $7$: 칠 (chil)

  • $8$: 팔 (pal)

  • $9$: 구 (gu)

  • $10$: 십 (sip)

  • Numbers from $11$ to $20$:

  • $11$: 십일 (sip-il)

  • $12$: 십이 (sip-i)

  • $13$: 십삼 (sip-sam)

  • $14$: 십사 (sip-sa)

  • $15$: 십오 (sip-o)

  • $16$: 십육 (sip-yuk)

  • $17$: 십칠 (sip-chil)

  • $18$: 십팔 (sip-pal)

  • $19$: 십구 (sip-gu)

  • $20$: 이십 (i-sip)

  • Tens from $10$ to $90$:

  • $10$: 십 (sip)

  • $20$: 이십 (i-sip)

  • $30$: 삼십 (sam-sip)

  • $40$: 사십 (sa-sip)

  • $50$: 오십 (o-sip)

  • $60$: 육십 (yuk-sip)

  • $70$: 칠십 (chil-sip)

  • $80$: 팔십 (pal-sip)

  • $90$: 구십 (gu-sip)

  • Large Positional Values:

  • $100$: 백 (baek)

  • $1,000$: 천 (cheon)

  • $10,000$: 만 (man)

  • $100,000$: 십만 (sim-man / sip-man)

  • $1,000,000$: 백만 (baeng-man / baek-man)

  • $10,000,000$: 천만 (cheon-man)

  • $100,000,000$: 일억 (il-eok)

• Application Contexts for Sino-Korean Numbers:

  • Dates:

  • Day: 일 (il)

  • Month: 월 (weol / wol)

  • Year: 년 (nyeon)

  • Currency / Money: 원 (won)

  • Time increments:

  • Minutes: 분 (bun)

  • Seconds: 초 (cho)

  • Telephone numbers

  • Measurements (height, weight, length, volume)

Korean Sentence Particles and Markers

• Topic Particle: 은 / 는

  • Placed after a noun to denote the topic of the sentence or to show contrast.

  • Rule for attachment:

  • 은 (eun): Attached after a noun ending in a consonant (has batchim). Example: 가족 + 은 = 가족은 (gajogeun - As for family).

  • 는 (neun): Attached after a noun ending in a vowel (no batchim). Example: 엄마 + 는 = 엄마는 (eommaneun - As for mom).

• Subject Particle: 이 / 가 with Existence Verbs:

  • Used with 있어요 (isseoyo - to have / exist) and 없어요 (eopseoyo - to not have / not exist).

  • Attachment rules:

  • 이 (i): Attached to nouns ending in a consonant (batchim). Example: 우산이 없어요 (usani eopseoyo - I do not have an umbrella).

  • 가 (ga): Attached to nouns ending in a vowel. Example: 친구가 있어요 (chinguga isseoyo - I have a friend).

• Object Particle: 을 / 를

  • Placed after a noun to mark it as the direct object of a transitive verb.

  • Attachment rules:

  • 을 (eul): Attached after a noun ending in a consonant (batchim). Example: 책을 읽어요 (chaegeul ilgeoyo - I read a book); 신문을 읽어요 (sinmuneul ilgeoyo - I read a newspaper).

  • 를 (reul): Attached after a noun ending in a vowel (no batchim). Example: 친구를 만나다 (chingureul mannada - To meet a friend); 택견/태권도를 배우다 (taekwondoreul baeuda - To learn taekwondo); 커피를 마시다 (keopireul masida - To drink coffee).

Conjunction Particles: Connecting Nouns

• Formal Connectors: 과 / 와

  • Meaning: "and" when joining nouns in formal contexts.

  • Attachment rules:

  • 과 (gwa): Attached after a noun ending in a consonant (batchim). Example: 학생과 선생님 (haksaeng-gwa seonsaengnim - student and teacher).

  • 와 (wa): Attached after a noun ending in a vowel. Example: 엄마와 아빠 (eomma-wa appa - mom and dad).

• Casual / Conversational Connector: 하고

  • Meaning: "and" in spoken, informal, or conversational settings.

  • Invariable behavior: Does not change regardless of whether the preceding noun ends in a consonant or a vowel.

  • Example: 학생하고 선생님 (haksaeng-hago seonsaengnim - student and teacher).

• Meaning with Verbs:

  • When these connecting particles (과, 와, 하고) are followed by an active clause or verb, their meaning shifts from "and" to "with".

Demonstratives and Basic Conversational Expressions

• Demonstrative Pronouns:

  • 이거는 (igeoneun): This (close to the speaker). Example: 이거는 우산 이에요 (igeoneun usan ieyo - This is an umbrella).

  • 그거는 (geugeoneun): That (close to the listener, far from the speaker). Example: 그거는 우산 이에요 (geugeoneun usan ieyo - That is an umbrella).

  • 저거는 (jeogeoneun): That over there (far from both speaker and listener). Example: 저거는 우산 이에요 (jeogeoneun usan ieyo - That over there is an umbrella).

• Requests and Conversational Responses:

  • 주세요 (juseyo): Meaning "please give me" or "give me". Example: 가위 주세요 (gawi juseyo - Please give me scissors).

  • 네 (ne): Yes

  • 아니요 (aniyo): No

  • 저는 (jeoneun): I am (formal / polite register)

  • 나는 (naneun): I am (casual / informal register)

Essential Korean Vocabulary

• Personal Information and Identity:

  • 이름 (ireum): Name

  • 나이 / 살 (nai / sal): Age

  • 국적 (gukjeok): Nationality

  • 나라 (nara): Country

  • 한국 (hanguk): South Korea

  • 직업 (jigeop): Profession / Job

  • 취미 (chwimi): Hobby

  • 전화번호 (jeonhwabeonho): Phone number

  • 번호 (beonho): Number

  • 주소 (juso): Address

• General Nouns:

  • 신문 (sinmun): Newspaper

  • 우산 (usan): Umbrella

  • 가위 (gawi): Scissors

  • 책 (chaek): Book

  • 옷 (ot): Clothes

  • 친구 (chingu): Friend

  • 선생님 (seonsaengnim): Teacher

  • 학생 (haksaeng): Student

  • 엄마 (eomma): Mom

  • 아빠 (appa): Dad

  • 가족 (gajok): Family

  • 커피 (keopi): Coffee

• Locational Nouns and Adverbs:

  • 여기 (yeogi): Here

Action Verbs and Verb Phrases

• General Action Verbs:

  • 가다 (gada): To go

  • 오다 (oda): To come

  • 자다 (jada): To sleep

  • 일어나다 (ireonada): To wake up / stand up

  • 보다 (boda): To see / watch

  • 만나다 (mannada): To meet

  • 배우다 (baeuda): To learn

  • 공부하다 (gongbuhada): To study

  • 일하다 (ilhada): To work

  • 운동하다 (undonghada): To exercise / to work out

  • 하다 (hada): To do

  • 숙제하다 (sukjehada): To do homework

  • 요리하다 (yorihada): To cook

  • 준비하다 (junbihada): To ready / prepare

  • 먹다 (meokda): To eat

  • 마시다 (masida): To drink

  • 사다 (sada): To buy

  • 팔다 (palda): To sell

  • 읽다 (ikda): To read

  • 쓰다 (sseuda): To write / use

  • 가르치다 (gareuchida): To teach

  • 쉬다 (swida): To rest

  • 만들다 (mandeulda): To make

  • 말하다 (malhada): To speak / talk

  • 듣다 (deutda): To hear

  • 기다리다 (gidarida): To wait

  • 걷다 (geotda): To walk

  • 뛰다 (ttwida): To run

  • 알다 (alda): To know

  • 모르다 (moreuda): To not know

  • 싫어하다 (sireohada): To hate / dislike

  • 살다 (salda): To live

  • 죽다 (jukda): To die

  • 만지다 (manjida): To touch

  • 울다 (ulda): To cry

• Descriptive Verbs in Base Form:

  • 빠르다 (ppareuda): To be fast

  • 느리다 (neurida): To be slow

• Collocations and Verb Expressions:

  • 옷을 사다 (oseul sada): To buy clothes

  • 친구를 만나다 (chingureul mannada): Meeting a friend

  • 커피를 마시다 (keopireul masida): To drink coffee

  • 택견을/택원도를 배우다 (taekwondoreul baeuda): To learn taekwondo

  • 영화를 보다 (yeonghwareul boda): To watch television / a film

  • Desiring an action (-고 싶어요): Attached to a verb stem to express "want to". Example: 자다 (jada) -> remove 다 (da) -> 자고 싶어요 (jago sipeoyo - I want to sleep).

Polite Informal Sentence Endings (-아요 / -어요 / -해요)

• Significance:

  • The -아요 / -어요 / -해요 polite sentence ending is among the most essential grammatical structures in conversational Korean for everyday polite speech.

• Core Conjugation Rules:

  • Step 1: Drop 다 (da) from the dictionary form of the verb to isolate the stem.

  • Step 2: Observe the final vowel of the verb stem.

  • Use -아요 (-ayo): When the last vowel of the stem is either ㅏ (a) or ㅗ (o).

  • Use -어요 (-eoyo): When the last vowel of the stem is any vowel other than ㅏ (a) or ㅗ (o).

  • Use -해요 (-haeyo): Used uniformly for all verbs ending in 하다 (hada).

• Standard Conjugation Examples:

  • Stem ending in ㅏ: 자다 (jada) -> remove 다 -> 자 + 아요 combines into 자요 (jayo - sleeps / I sleep).

  • Stem ending in other vowels (e.g., ㅜ): 배우다 (baeuda) -> remove 다 -> 배우 + 어요 contracts into 배워요 (baewoyo - learns / I learn).

  • Stem ending in 하다: 공부하다 (gongbuhada) -> remove 하다 -> 공부해요 (gongbuhaeyo - studies / I study).

• Irregularities and Special Conjugation Notes:

  • ㄷ-irregular (batchim shift): In verbs such as 듣다 (deutda - to hear), the final ㄷ in the batchim position changes to ㄹ before a vowel. Hence, 듣다 becomes 들어요 (deureoyo).

  • ㅣ stem ending: 기다리다 (gidarida - to wait) drops 다 and conjugates to 기다려요 (gidaryeoyo / conversational short form 기다려).

  • 르-irregular: 모르다 (moreuda - to not know) conjugates to 몰라요 (mollayo - I don't know).

Locations, Places, and Place Particles (에 vs. 에서)

• Places in Korean (장소 - Jangso):

  • 시장 (sijang): Market

  • 박물관 (bangmulgwan): Museum

  • 백화점 (baekhwajeom): Department Store

  • 학교 (hakgyo): School

  • 도서관 (doseogwan): Library

  • 은행 (eunhaeng): Bank

  • 영화관 (yeonghwagwan): Cinema / Movie theater

  • 편의점 (pyeon-uijeom): Convenience store

  • 집 (jip): House / Home

  • 회사 (hoesa): Company / Office

  • 식당 (sikdang): Restaurant

  • 우체국 (ucheguk): Post Office

  • 호텔 (hotel): Hotel

  • 공원 (gongwon): Park

  • 병원 (byeong-won): Hospital

  • 헬스장 (helseujang): Gym

  • 미용실 (miyongsil): Salon / Hairdresser

  • 지하철역 (jihacheol-yeok): Subway station

• The Place Particle 에 (e):

  • Used for three primary grammatical functions:

  • Destination ("to"): Marks the target location of movement verbs (e.g., 가다, 오다). Example: 학교에 (hakgyo-e) -> 학교에 가요 (hakgyo-e gayo - I go to school).

  • Existence / Static Location ("at / in"): Marks the location where a person or thing exists with verbs like 있다 / 없다. Example: 교실에 (gyosir-e - in the classroom).

  • Time ("at / on"): Attached to specific time units or hours. Example: 7시에 (ilgop si-e - at $7$ o'clock).

• The Place Particle 에서 (eseo):

  • Used for two primary grammatical functions:

  • Dynamic Location: The physical place where an action takes place. Example: Marking where an activity is performed.

  • Starting Point ("from"): The location of origin. Example: 학교에서 집에… (hakgyo-eseo jibe… - from school to home…).

• Direct Comparison Summary:

  • 에: Destination ("to"), static location/existence ("at/in"), time ("at/on").

  • 에서: Dynamic location where an action happens, starting point / origin ("from").

Korean Adjectives and Polite Conjugations

• Adjectives Describing Emotions and States (Subject/Noun Descriptions):

  • 행복하다 (haengbokhada): To be happy -> Polite form: 행복해요 (haengbokhaeyo)

  • 슬프다 (seulpeuda): To be sad -> Polite form: 슬퍼요 (seulpeoyo)

  • 기쁘다 (gippeuda): To be glad -> Polite form: 기뻐요 (gippeoyo)

  • 화나다 (hwanada): To be angry -> Polite form: 화나요 (hwanayo)

  • 무섭다 (museopda): To be scared / scary -> Polite form: 무서워요 (museowoyo)

  • 즐겁다 (jeulgeopda): To be joyful -> Polite form: 즐거워요 (jeulgeowoyo)

  • 외롭다 (oeropda / written oelawoyo): To be lonely -> Polite form: 외로워요 (oerowoyo)

  • 피곤하다 (pigonhada): To be tired -> Polite form: 피곤해요 (pigonhaeyo)

  • 심심하다 (simsimhada): To be bored -> Polite form: 심심해요 (simsimhaeyo)

  • 아프다 (apeuda): To be sick / hurt -> Polite form: 아파요 (apayo)

• Adjectives of Size, Shape, and Appearance:

  • 크다 (keuda): To be big -> Polite form: 커요 (keoyo)

  • 작다 (jakda): To be small -> Polite form: 작아요 (jagayo)

  • 길다 (gilda): To be long -> Polite form: 길어요 (gireoyo)

  • 짧다 (jjalda): To be short (length) -> Polite form: 짧아요 (jjalbayo)

  • 높다 (nopda): To be high -> Polite form: 높아요 (nopayo)

  • 낮다 (natda): To be low -> Polite form: 낮아요 (najayo)

  • 넓다 (neolbda): To be wide -> Polite form: 넓어요 (neolbeoyo)

  • 좁다 (jopda): To be narrow -> Polite form: 좁아요 (jobayo)

  • 예쁘다 (yeoppeuda): To be pretty -> Polite form: 예뻐요 (yeoppeoyo)

  • 잘생기다 (jalsaenggida): To be handsome -> Polite form: 잘생겨요 (jalsaenggyeoyo)

  • 빠르다 (ppareuda): To be fast

  • 느리다 (neurida): To be slow